Shades at Night
by Shikuro-kun
Summary: New Orleans, a rustic, quaint town full of ancient history and magic is home to several clans of supernatural beings; witches, werewolves and vampires. But what happens when three girls from their respective kind intersect, and what will they make of it? ER. PWP. AU. Mio x Futa!Ritsu x Mugi
1. Chapter 1

Ritsu stood in the hallway of her home unsure of what was happening. She'd been idle for at least ten seconds, giving her more than enough time to try and assess the situation with a clear head. Across from her stood a girl with long, raven hair and a fair complexion. She was lovely beyond description, not much older than Ritsu, but her cold grey eyes shone with a wisdom and intelligence well through her years.

Daring to test her boundaries Ritsu took a tentative step closer, ever so careful not to spook the girl in her presence. A moment passed and both looked deep into each others eyes.

"I don't need your protection or your kindness." The girl's words wrung with a hint of venomous intent.

Ritsu's smiled. "I know. But this place doesn't take visitors too well. You of all people should've recognized the welcoming party you ran into tonight."

The girl opened her mouth and closed it. Ritsu did have a valid point. An hour more in the forest and she would've been killed if it wasn't for Ritsu's intervention. She paused and gave herself more time to think through her words.

"Why?" the girl asked.

"I don't know," Ritsu admitted quietly. She looked past the girl and into the guest room, the very space she'd lend her for the night.

"You're not making any sense. Why would you help someone like me?" The girl forced their gaze to meet once more. "Our kind are enemies to each other."

"Do _we_ have to be enemies?" Ritsu's voice was soft and true. Something in her question seemed to touch the girl. She stepped forward, effectively closing the distance between them and raised a hand to the girl's cheek. Her skin felt so cold between her fingertips.

"I suppose not," the girl replied in a faint whisper. She turned her cheek away and Ritsu's hand fell to her side. "But you still haven't given me a straight answer. Why didn't you kill me earlier?"

Ritsu's gentle smile faded. A flood of memories washed over her face. She remembered the reason why she was out tonight on a full moon and the anger she'd been fueled on by several of her friend's recent deaths. Someone had murdered them brutally without remorse. When word got out that an outsider was roaming around their territory, she jumped at the first chance to join the man hunt.

She was fully prepared to have her vengeance, to kill the very murderer with her own two hands. And just to her luck she'd run into the culprit, a passerby who meant no harm to Ritsu's pack-mates. The girl justified her actions as self defense, not wanting to end their lives so pointlessly. Ritsu had taken a moment to hear her confession in the dark forest and felt something else other than rage stir inside her. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but the feeling was strangely unsettling. Suddenly she couldn't find herself to kill the girl, despite her former resolve.

"If I told you you'd think I'm insane." Ritsu gave a rueful laugh.

"I think you already are. Protecting me is no better than a death sentence. You betrayed your own pack."

"Whatever the consequences may be I'll accept them as long as you're safe."

"I'm a mere stranger to you."

"Then don't be. Tell me your name."

Inhaling slowly, the girl met Ritsu's eyes in the dark.

"Mio."

Ritsu repeated Mio's name to herself silently. A roguish grin found its way to her lips.

"Then forgive me, Mio."

"Wh-"

The rest of whatever Mio was about to ask was cut off in an instant. Ritsu's grin was gone while she leaned forward and kissed Mio. She heard a soft gasp escape Mio's lips and grunted, feeling her back press against the room's wall rather roughly.

"W-What do you think you're doing?"

Ritsu surveyed where she was in the room. In a split second she was pinned across from the doorway. She noticed Mio's hand around her throat.

"Kissing you."

"I-I know that," Mio said with a decorative blush on her cheeks. "B-But why?"

"Because I wanted to."

Mio tightened her grip around Ritsu's throat but the girl's smile only widened despite the pain. What she tried as intimidation only amused Ritsu, which irritated Mio even further.

"Did you like it?" Ritsu asked between a single breath. She watched Mio's face turn into a mix of confusion and embarrassment.

Mio dropped her hand reluctantly, but Ritsu took her by the wrist and spun Mio back against the wall. She tried to wrest her way off and frowned when she failed miserably.

"W-Was that just to catch me off guard? So you can finally finish what you started?"

"No," Ritsu said. "The last thing I want to do is kill you. I think I've made that pretty clear."

Mio tried not to look like she understood what Ritsu said.

"So," Ritsu whispered into Mio's ear. "Did you like it?"

They gazed at each other for a second, their breaths mingling between the scant space that separated them. Ritsu's eyes darted from Mio's eyes to her lips. She found herself leaning in again eagerly, much like a pin to a magnet.

Mio pressed her hands to Ritsu's chest lightly. She stopped her, but only for a second and leaned in too. The moment their lips met, she bit down hard enough to draw some blood. Ritsu retreated, confusion alight in her eyes, but before she could utter a single word Mio licked the edge of her lip by surprise. The move was slow and sensual, bold and daring. Mio's eyes widened when she'd reached an unlikely discovery.

"Your blood..."

"My blood?"

"It's...unusual. The taste." Mio licked her own lips nervously. Ritsu's blood was like nectar, full and rich and every bit as delectable. "It's sweet." _The sweetest I've ever come across_ , she finished in her head.

Ritsu thumbed the edge of her bottom lip. It was strange for a vampire to admit she had sweet blood. But then again, she'd never let any vampire taste it either and given her any feedback, until tonight.

"You can have more if you want," Ritsu teased. "You must be a little hungry."

Mio blushed. "I-I can't. It was just...an accident."

"Are you afraid you're going to kill me?"

"Perhaps," Mio said. "And besides...it would feel wrong."

"The kiss didn't feel wrong. And neither did that. I don't mind sharing a bit more." Ritsu tugged at the collar of her shirt pulling it off to the side.

Mio concentrated hard enough to see Ritsu's bounding pulse at her neck. She set a finger to feel the vein and dragged it down the path, following it in a trance-like state. Despite her stubbornness she was undeniably thirsty. And a single taste of Ritsu's blood had her silently yearning for more.

"I trust you," Ritsu said encouragingly.

Mio latched onto Ritsu's neck as soon as she finished her sentence. Her teeth sank deep into her flesh and Ritsu flinched out of reflex. Ritsu didn't protest, but she did reach out to the back of Mio's head, grasping a fistful of her dark hair. She allowed her to stay there for nearly a minute. Mio pressed her weight into Ritsu's, aligning their bodies perfectly with each other. Ritsu focused on the bite. At first the pain radiated to her neck and shoulders but the seconds passed quickly and she felt something else.

Pure, unadulterated arousal.

Ritsu tensed at the familiar sensation. "Mio," she said shakily. "Stop."

When Mio didn't heed her warning, Ritsu's eyes burned bright yellow, activating her latent powers. She didn't want to hurt her but some form of dominance needed to be exercised. Ritsu slid her hand around the back of Mio's neck and squeezed hard.

The color in Mio's eyes had changed from a brilliant red to a dark auburn. She immediately realized what she was doing, stopped then distanced herself. A wave of embarrassment washed over her face. For a lingering minute she couldn't meet Ritsu's eyes.

Ritsu heaved a breath. "Sorry, I just...I would've let you have more but..."

Mio finally looked at Ritsu in confusion. "I was seconds away from killing you. What are you apologizing for?"

Ritsu's eyes hadn't changed back to its usual color. Despite the help from her moonlight ring she was still a novice when it came to matters of control. The ring helped her shift at will, but the moon still reigned supreme over her.

"I should go," Ritsu said weakly. The use of her abilities made her highly perceptive to her surroundings. She could hear the sounds of branches rattling against the windowpane, the slight creaks from the floor, and the thundering beat of her own heart.

"Ritsu?"

Ritsu closed her eyes for a second. Then another. It wasn't enough. Try as she might she couldn't seem to turn her powers off. She made sure to keep herself in line whenever this would happen, but throughout the process she never went through it alone. Mugi would be gone for at least a few more days. Until then she'd have to face whatever problems were thrown in her direction. Ritsu took another deep breath. She'd hardly registered what Mio had just said.

 _I can't believe this is happening,_ Ritsu said to herself. _And_ _now of all times? I was content with a few kisses, but any further than that would be pushing it._

Ritsu was uncharacteristically silent it concerned Mio. In all the time they'd spent tonight running and hiding, never did Ritsu stay quiet for long periods of time. Mio reached out to touch Ritsu's arm, her fingers just brushing lightly over her skin.

Ritsu held Mio's forearm and exerted some force, but not to the extent of pain. "I need to know what you thought of the kiss, please."

Mio felt the color rise to her cheeks. She had spent enough lifetimes kissing occasionally, but never with a girl. And most especially not with a werewolf. Mio looked off to the side sheepishly. Despite kissing someone like Ritsu, it wasn't an uncomfortable feeling. In fact it was rather sweet.

"It was nice," Mio admitted. Her eyes grew wide with shock at her own clumsiness. Obviously she hadn't meant to say it out loud.

Ritsu didn't smile, but she didn't frown either. Slowly she let her hand slide up Mio's arm until she reached the bottom of her chin. With the pad of her thumb she wiped away the remnants of her blood. It were as though she was studying every inch of Mio's face, committing the smallest details to memory.

"It's a full moon out. I can only keep my control for a few more minutes," Ritsu confessed. "I won't shift so you won't be in any immediate danger. But my feelings and my senses are amplified tenfold. Sometimes I have a tendency to get a little...horny."

If Mio's eyes could widen any further, they did. Ritsu had just confessed a truth that she wasn't aware of and now that it came to light, she didn't know what to make of it.

"I know you're quick. You can lock me up to the bed with some silver chains that are here in this room. It should be enough to restrain me for the night." Ritsu's eyes hinted towards the bedside drawer.

"You have silver chains in your guest room?" Mio asked cautiously.

"In every room," Ritsu enlightened with a wry smile. "For safety precautions."

"You want me to lock you up?" Mio asked again.

Ritsu's hand slipped to Mio's neck, her thumb caressing the hollow of her throat. She felt her swallow out of nervousness. _Cute_ , Ritsu thought. Fear and uncertainty always did bring out the most amusing expressions in people.

"If you think that would be best."

Mio paused and seemed to consider her options. One bite from a werewolf proved highly lethal to her. That was enough to convince her not to take any chances. Ritsu volunteered to go to the bed, opening up the bottom drawer and taking up the silver chains with her. She gave the cuffs out to Mio and waited.

The cuffs were made of leather and lightly scuffed but still in good condition. However, what caught Mio's attention were the letters written in them, an ancient language used for spells by witches.

"These are custom made so you don't have to worry, they'll do the job," Ritsu assured. She looked out the window and into the sky. The moon was masked by the heavy clouds temporarily. Ritsu offered Mio her arm and nodded. "Just be quick about it."

Mio buckled the first cuff without so much as a second thought. It was the second one that came slowly. Ritsu's eyes met hers. The color in her eyes never dulled, gold mixed with honey, bright, brilliant and warm. Mio remembered the feeling of the kiss, the tenderness of Ritsu's lips, the warmth of her body. For a second Mio didn't recognize Ritsu as a threat. She wasn't an animal that needed to be locked up. She was just a being with a desire that needed to be quelled. Mio didn't buckle the other arm and she began unfastening the other.

"What are you doing?" Ritsu said with panic in her voice. The moon began to peer out from beyond the castle of clouds. Ritsu could feel the blood in her skin boiling.

"You trusted me. Now I'm going to trust you," Mio said.

When the moon rose to its peak, Ritsu immediately pounced at the opportunity, pinning Mio flat against her back. She didn't do anything but stare at her in the darkness. A faint light came over them, shedding some clarity on Mio and her lithe form underneath. The shadows danced around Ritsu's figure, watching, waiting for the next move to be made.

Trust her? They were mere strangers. Now Ritsu realized how ludicrous it sounded for either of them to say such words.

"You should've cuffed me," Ritsu said before plunging down for a kiss.

She kissed Mio's mouth, her neck, her ear. All gentleness had fled at once. She met Mio's lips with renewed passion and was surprised when every single kiss was reciprocated with equivalent force. Ritsu cupped Mio's face into both hands and kissed her until she moaned. While their lips were otherwise occupied, she reached between them and untied the knot on Mio's blouse. Ritsu sensed the resistance but didn't stop.

"You wanted this," Ritsu whispered into Mio's ear. "So don't refuse me."

Ritsu nipped at Mio's ear, sending a violent shiver down her spine. Mio froze and clutched onto Ritsu for support. There was a dark truth in Ritsu's words. She wanted this. But she also needed it. In that moment want and need became the same for Mio. It had been decades since she'd been with anyone romantically or sexually.

"Are you scared?"

"Yes," Mio answer softly. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Good. I want you scared."

"Why?"

Using her knees, Ritsu steadied herself and took the ends of her shirt into her hands. Without any shame she pushed it past her head and threw it across the room. Underneath she wore nothing but the nakedness of her own skin.

"Because that way your trust means more to me than if you weren't."

Mio took a breath to brace herself. She had never been with a woman so intimately or seen one half naked. She envied how Ritsu looked so comfortable in her own skin. She was slender and lean but not without some muscles.

"It's too late for escape. But you willingly stayed of your own volition." Ritsu traced the moonlight ring wrapped around her finger. "You know I'm not like the others."

Mio followed Ritsu's gaze which fell right between her hips. She tore her eyes away as quickly as she could, but not before catching a glimpse of Ritsu's hard on. Mio closed her eyes and felt Ritsu press her body to hers.

"Tell me what you want, Mio."

Ritsu kissed the hollow of Mio's throat. She knew Mio would never admit what she was feeling out loud. And even if she did it would take a bit of doing. Ritsu inhaled. She caught the most intoxicating whiff of Mio's hidden arousal.

Mio held onto Ritsu's shoulders as Ritsu moved on top of her, grinding in a way that made her arch underneath. A swell of desire pooled into her panties. What she wanted? That was a simple question. One hand traveled down Ritsu's chest. Her body was flushed with heat, warming up Mio's ice cold fingers. Still, she treaded lower, pushing past the fabric of Ritsu's jeans and taking her length in her hand.

"I want you...Inside me," Mio said wantonly. She fidgeted at the dampness still growing between her legs.

Ritsu kissed her again, hard and deep until Mio moaned against her mouth. She gripped her hips and pulled her against her erection in earnest. She was eager. Dangerously eager. If she'd take her now there was high chance she wouldn't be gentle.

"I will hurt you," Ritsu said with a ragged breath. "And when I start I won't stop until I'm satisfied."

Mio met Ritsu's eyes, half-lidded but full of sensual need. "I can handle you. I'm not human remember?"

Ritsu smiled at that and began undressing Mio. "Neither am I."

Mio didn't put up any resistance, not even when her blouse or her underwear were discarded. Ritsu unzipped her jeans and pulled them off. When they were both finally naked she covered her lithe body over Mio's.

Mio felt Ritsu's erection pressing against her. She raised one leg and wrapped it around Ritsu's back, opening herself up to her. With a fierce, unforgiving thrust, Ritsu pushed into her. Mio gasped and shut her eyes tight. It hurt, and there was a dull pain as she stretched herself out to accommodate Ritsu's girth.

Ritsu pulled out to the tip and drove back into Mio again, thrusting harder each time. She closed her eyes in shocked wonder and hung her head low. It had been at little over a month since she fell into a rut this badly. When her eyes finally opened it was with darkened knowledge. Mio ground her hips against her with a child-like eagerness, her innards clenching tight around her length. Ritsu let out a staggering breath and forced Mio's legs higher, driving deeper into her.

Beads of sweat began forming around Mio's forehead. She clutched onto the sheets beside her and groaned in both pain and delight. Mio pushed into Ritsu again and let herself enjoy the fullness in the pit of her stomach. _Inside me_ , she thought. _Ritsu is inside me._ Mio closed her eyes and felt the ache in her back, the pressure in her hips. The thought of a woman, of Ritsu, inside her sent her climaxing for the first time that night.

Ritsu dug her fingers into the soft flesh of Mio's hips and thighs. After a series of merciless thrusts, she came inside Mio with the force that only a month of miserable celibacy could deliver. Ritsu collapsed and breathed hard against Mio's neck. She closed her eyes and moved her head to Mio's chest. She didn't hear a heartbeat.

How odd, for a woman to be so dead but so alive. While Ritsu was inside Mio she was astonished to find her innards so wet, so warm...so welcoming. She opened her mouth and sucked on Mio's nipples, evoking the sweetest moan. To Ritsu, Mio's body was a contradiction, the most beautiful contradiction she'd ever come across.

She dipped her head lower, kissing, squeezing and sucking on Mio's breasts until she was wet and ready again. By the time she finished, a small puddle had formed underneath the sheets. Wanting to taste her wetness, Ritsu spread her tongue to Mio's clit. It pulsed against her tongue as she licked Mio from her clitoris to the base of her vagina and back up again. Mio flinched as Ritsu pushed two fingers into a familiar soft spot.

"Ritsu," Mio moaned out loud.

Ritsu came up to her but didn't retract her fingers. Instead, she pushed in and massaged the bundle of nerves from the inside, slow at first until she picked up a steady pace. She pumped Mio harder with her fingers, curving them inwards to coax the same spot over and over. Mio's head fell back in ecstasy, a wave of pleasure surging all throughout her body. Her muscles pulsed around Ritsu's fingers, clamping down onto the intruding presence as she climaxed the second time.

Ritsu wasn't finished with her though. Her needs seemed to know no bounds. She pushed Mio over and onto her stomach then penetrated her from behind. A soft, subtle sigh escaped Ritsu's lips as she relished her partner's profound wetness.

The bed creaked harder underneath them as Mio arched into Ritsu, taking her deeper, goading her on with whimpers and cries. Mio closed her eyes and blocked out the light from the moon, forgetting everything else but the feeling of Ritsu's warm body on top. She imagined Ritsu's taut muscles working in tandem with her, working at her back as she bowed every time she entered her and arched with each swift retreat. They fucked long enough until it hurt, when pain became white as wine and pleasure its drug inducing counterpart.

Ritsu came inside Mio, her semen pouring into her in aching bursts. She felt the swell of Mio's climax wrap around her length, convulsing around her in a series of intense contractions before its release. Ritsu let out a low groan from the back of her throat and tensed, falling limply after Mio milked all she had to give. She breathed hard and pulled back a lock of hair behind Mio's ear, kissing the back of her neck sensually, almost possessively.

"I want to spend all night inside you," Ritsu whispered.

Mio smiled into the sheets dreamily, her head still spinning from all the pleasure. Ritsu twined their fingers together as they lay in bed, breathing in and out until they were in sync.

"What's stopping you?" Mio asked.

Ritsu grinned into Mio's skin. Despite her exhaustion she was far from spent. The night was still so young and the moon was still so high. Her eyes glowed a brilliant gold as she came up with a witty response.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** This short series was originally coined back in October, although I never had the chance to write it through until as of late. I really don't have a clue where this will go, but I'd say maybe three or five chapters if I get lucky enough.

* * *

Ritsu woke up feeling like a bus had hit her and thrown her fifty feet into the ground. Every breath she took was just as difficult as the next. Slowly, she stretched her sore and aching muscles in bed and groaned. The bedsheets rustled slightly to her side and she turned over to find Mio still fast asleep.

Right. She suddenly remembered why her body was in so much pain.

She looked up at the ceiling and focused on the empty, white canvas above, contemplating on the night of ceaseless fucking she'd spent. They didn't fall asleep until early that very morning, when the sun began to rise just above the horizon. Now rays of light trickled through the curtains, tickling their skin as they lay together in bed. The moment a sliver touched Mio's nose, she recoiled and turned towards Ritsu, their bodies facing each other. Her eyes were still closed and her long hair stuck to her face in several places. Ritsu grinned as she propped herself on her elbow, watching every delicate rise and fall of her breath. Gently, she pushed back Mio's bangs and kissed her there, her lips brushing over her forehead as light as a feather.

There was a novelty in watching over someone sleep, a sort of protectiveness that Ritsu had grown to develop with time. The idea seemed purely animalistic, as though she was looking out after one of her own pack mates. She laughed silently at the thought. How could someone like her, a werewolf, care for a vampire so intensely?

The concept sounded so foreign to her. And Ritsu still couldn't describe what brought about the overwhelming feelings she felt last night, most especially her innate desire to be inside Mio the moment they met. Even now, she wanted to be inside her, needed it like she needed air to breathe.

She planted several kisses along Mio's cheek, her nose, her lips, coming down to her neck and bare shoulders. She bit into her skin playfully and stopped when her eyes fluttered open. Mio looked at Ritsu for a quick second then closed her eyes again. She moved on top of Ritsu's body and said nothing, finding a soothing comfort from the heat of her skin.

Ritsu lifted her hips and took her length, pushing into Mio. It hurt to move, but she blocked out the pain and focused on the pleasure instead. With both hands she gripped Mio's ass and moved in slow, sensual thrusts, moving in and out of her wet seam. She bent her knees to bring her closer and heard Mio's shallow breaths quicken against her neck, her lips trembling at the edge of her ear. A soft whimper or two was thrown somewhere in between as Ritsu's pace picked up, their skin slapping against each other in the heat of the moment. She squeezed Mio's ass harder and pushed on the tip of her toes, wanting to delve deeper with every thrust. When she was so close to coming, Mio pressed her palm to her face and goaded her on.

With a few short thrusts, Ritsu came undone, arching up and spurting her hot cum into Mio for the umpteenth time. Her hips bucked on instinct, filling her up until her length went limp inside. Ritsu's shoulders relaxed all at once and her eyes fluttered closed.

"Mmm," Mio purred with satisfaction. She didn't finish, but Ritsu's cum inside her was all she needed to feel content.

Ritsu's softening cock slipped out of Mio, some of her fluid leaking out between their bodies. She sighed at the blissful feeling of wetness on her taut stomach and tried to catch her breath. Mio reached down into herself with two fingers, bringing them back up whilst coated with Ritsu's essence. She spread them apart, a line separating right down the middle before taking them into her mouth.

Ritsu could only watch in awe, her lips parting slightly at the scene. Mio blushed and hid her face immediately, quietly savoring the taste of Ritsu in her mouth. She spent the entire night with her that it felt absolutely ignorant not to know what she tasted like. Mio licked her lips and swallowed, not quite coming close to a verdict.

They said nothing to each other after, the silence lingering with only the slightest hint of awkwardness. Ritsu's hands settled down between Mio's shoulder blades, tracing her spine up and down with ghostlike precision. Mio tensed over her naturally and a wry smile crept on Ritsu's face.

"Th-That tickles," Mio said as her voice wavered like a leaf.

"Does it feel nice?" Ritsu asked.

"It's...It's not bad, but..." Mio pressed her head into the crane of Ritsu's neck.

"But...?"

Mio's legs fidgeted nervously on top of Ritsu. She got the clue, feeling a drip of Mio's arousal slip between the edge of her thighs.

"Oh," Ritsu said. One hand traveled lower, past Mio's backside and stopping between the crevice of her ass. She ran a single finger into her tight slit, straining her arm as she reached to touch Mio's damp folds.

Mio closed her legs tighter and stilled. Ritsu laughed lightly. She pulled her finger out, grasped both of Mio's legs apart, then rolled their combined weight until she was on top. Her hard on persisted against Mio's stomach, but neither said anything about it. Ritsu kissed Mio, first on the nose, then her lips. She smiled into the kiss and waited, opening her mouth only when Mio's did too.

It was strange for the two of them to be so casual with each other. The way they acted, the way they kissed, it felt as though they'd known each other their whole lives. No one would have guessed they'd only met yesterday.

"Stay with me," Ritsu said.

"You know I can't."

"You can live here, in New Orleans."

"I don't know this place."

"I'll show you around."

Mio formed a weak smile. "You hardly know me."

"I _want_ to know you. I _need_ to know you."

Mio traced every inch of Ritsu's face, memorizing it in silence. She knew better than anyone else that she couldn't stay for long anywhere. Attachments like this were fatal, were frightening.

"We can't even be seen together."

Ritsu kissed Mio's cheek gently. The truth in her words wrung so true it was almost laughable. But she didn't laugh.

"It will work out. I'll make it so."

"How?" Mio asked indifferently. She didn't have any hope for the two of them and whatever this was. A flash of hurt crossed Ritsu's face. "We're too different, you and I."

"You trusted me last night. Will you trust me again?"

Mio looked away. She couldn't find it in herself to answer Ritsu's question. Trust had to be earned, not given. Ritsu was the only exception she made.

"I don't belong here. I don't belong with you," Mio finally said.

"You do. You just didn't know until now."

"Then what have I been doing for all these centuries?"

"Sleeping," Ritsu said with a roguish grin.

Mio laughed, but her laugh was tinged with sadness. "Sleep isn't a necessity for me."

"You slept last night, here on this bed."

"You tired me out. I was simply resting."

"Are you still tired?" Ritsu asked softly. She ran her hand up Mio's shoulder, feeling her cool, pale skin against her burning fingertips. Their contrast was as clear as fire and ice.

"No," Mio said bashfully. Ritsu's hard on flinched against her skin. Mio had to bite her bottom lip to suppress a moan.

"I'm not sorry for last night, or this morning." Ritsu kissed a path from Mio's lips to her neck. She nipped at the sensitive skin there and exhaled.

"Good. I don't need your apologies anyways."

Ritsu looked deep into Mio's eyes, red tinged with grey. It was such an odd color to recognize, a beautiful but unusual combination.

"I wish I'd met you sooner," Ritsu confessed.

"And why is that?"

"Because I can never get enough of you."

"You have me now," Mio assured. She ran her fingers through Ritsu's brown lock of hair, sweeping her bangs over her forehead before they fell back down.

"Until when?"

"I don't know."

Ritsu let out a breath she was holding. The uncertainty of time they had with each other made her feel uneasy.

"Last night," Mio began. "Last night you made me forget who I was. I want...I want you to do that to me again."

"That's funny," Ritsu said. "I forgot who I was too."

They kissed for a long time, Ritsu and Mio. Each one was gentle and sleepy, slow and kind and tender. Mio had long forgotten how simple and sensual the art of kissing could be. She reached down between them and took Ritsu in her hand, stroking her length slowly, from her base to the tip. She didn't realize how well endowed Ritsu was.

"Mio," Ritsu groaned. Her lips trembled against Mio's skin. Her hips bucked into her palm.

Finally when Ritsu could take no more, Mio turned on her side. Ritsu pressed her naked chest to Mio's back, closing the gap between their bodies. The difference in their temperature was so electrifying it almost hurt when they came together. Mio shivered slightly and Ritsu wrapped her arms around her waist. Slowly, she aligned their hips and pushed into Mio from behind.

The position didn't give Ritsu much depth, but she didn't seem to mind. All that mattered was that she was inside Mio again, pushing and pulling into her. She pressed a long, languid kiss at the center of her back and sighed, wanting and needing this woman's invaluable heat. A wave of contractions suddenly pulsed around her length. Ritsu gripped Mio's hips to stop herself from coming.

Mio lifted one leg behind Ritsu, giving her more access. Against her, she fell into a place of tranquility and calm. Inside her, Ritsu moved in a steady, rhythmic beat. The world would fall apart and she wouldn't give a damn. All that was important to her right now was this, Ritsu inside her, filling her, giving her everything she needed.

"I love being inside you," Ritsu whispered from behind. Her hand reached out to Mio's breasts and kneaded them in a way that had her panting. "Last night wasn't nearly enough."

Mio's lips trembled, her mouth straining to form comprehensible words. She agreed with Ritsu and nodded instead. The bedsheets fell to their waistline as they moved, wrinkling downwards until it reached their ankles.

"Faster," Mio demanded. There were times when she liked it light and slow. But she also enjoyed how brutal Ritsu was on the full moon. There was something inside Mio that burned with a passion to be taken possessively, to be used solely for one's own pleasure. "Please..."

Ritsu pushed her hips faster, snapping at Mio's back until she felt her contractions spasming wildly around her cock. She didn't stop, she found that she couldn't. She reached deep enough to hit the soft spot inside Mio that had her moaning in blissful pleasure. Mio's contractions came more frequently after, tightening around Ritsu's cock with a vice like grip and forced both of them to finish at the same time.

Ritsu held onto Mio's quivering body, holding her close as she writhed in ecstasy. Her cum shot out in a series of quick spurts inside Mio, drenching her warm walls with her seed. She lifted her hips and thrust a few more times, riding out Mio's climax all the way until the end.

With hard, labored breaths they lay coupled together for a minute. Then two. Mio's back relaxed against Ritsu's chest, falling limp and limber in her arms. She realized that Ritsu hadn't pulled out of her and smiled when her cock flinched at the slightest pressure from her hips.

"How was that?" Ritsu asked. Her eyes began to slide shut, but she refused to do anything but sleep.

"Amazing. _You_ feel amazing." Mio's vagina fluttered around Ritsu's length. It had only been minutes since their last orgasm, but now she could feel her hardening again. She commended Ritsu's stamina and couldn't fathom how any other woman could be with her in bed. She was insatiable.

Mio rolled over on her stomach and Ritsu followed behind, not wanting to leave her body so soon. She watched the sun through the dark curtains, peaking over the small little town.

"I didn't think _you_ could get so horny," Ritsu said shamelessly.

Mio squeezed Ritsu's cock and heard a soft gasp from above. "You're one to talk, idiot."

"It was the full moon."

"It was all you. Don't blame the moon for your actions."

Ritsu laughed at Mio's comeback. Fair enough. She began thrusting into her again, not wanting to prove her words wrong.

"You're not tired?" Mio asked underneath.

"Very. But I'd much rather do this than sleep."

If there was one thing Mio was grateful for, it was her accelerated healing abilities. Had she been a normal, ordinary girl with Ritsu, her body would be bruised, broken and raw. She lifted her hips higher until she arched like a cat stretching out in the morning sun. Ritsu rose to her knees and continued pumping into Mio, increasing her pace when her cock had fully recovered.

"Ahh-" Mio moaned when Ritsu reached her soft spot over and over. She pushed back and forth to match Ritsu's pace and writhed under her like an animal in heat. She grasped at the bedsheets with both hands and cried out in pleasure, Ritsu's hips picking up until the bed creaked so hard it threatened to break.

Ritsu looked down at Mio and rolled her head back. This was her favorite position. The harder she thrust the louder Mio moaned. Her voice resonated throughout every corner of the room. The sun kissed Ritsu's face as she released a ragged breath and reached for Mio's neck, gripping her still so every thrust hit her at just the right angle. Carefully, she slid her hand around the edge of Mio's scalp, bringing up a fistful of her hair. She tugged hard accompanied with a handful of brutal, harsh thrusts. Mio cried out so loud it echoed into the hallway.

Ritsu released Mio's hair and came to settle her hands back to her hip and neck. A slow, aching pressure began to build in Ritsu's lower back. She slowed down and hunched over Mio, kissing the valley of her shoulder blades and down her spine. Her smooth skin felt cool under her touch.

"You will be the death of me," Ritsu said with a sly smile. Her breathing was erratic and her voice wavered from exhaustion. "You're going to run me dry."

"Even the toughest animals have their limits," Mio said matter-o-factly.

"I'm at mine."

"Then make it count."

Mio propped herself on all fours and Ritsu joined her on top. She dragged her cock out and Mio's innards fluttered around nothing. Ritsu rubbed her erection against Mio's naked bottom. She let her feel it, the length and the width and the hardness it came to have. Then she nipped at Mio's shoulders, marking her skin with every sensual bite. With every graze of her teeth, Mio imagined it to be a primal ritual for Ritsu to claim her body as her own property.

Finally, after a dozen kisses and love bites Ritsu impaled Mio with one swift thrust. She let out a breath and stopped moving altogether.

"Are you okay?" Mio asked, turning her head towards Ritsu.

"More than okay. I just...want to remember this, what _you_ feel like."

Mio nodded and Ritsu began sliding in and out of her velvet walls. She let her hips do all the work, shifting her whole weight as she ground her palms into the mattress to steady herself. She felt the ache in her arms with every thrust, every push and pull.

She concentrated on the pleasure instead, Mio's heat inside her. It was incredible. She could never get enough of it. Ritsu lost count of how many times they fucked and how many times she came. But she knew one thing for certain, this wouldn't be the last. She rose back to her knees and slammed into Mio with all her strength, riding her with a force that made them both whimper.

Mio's hips pushed into Ritsu in a dizzying haze. When Ritsu bore down her full weight she collapsed on the bed with a gasp. Her moans had only increased in number after that. Ritsu didn't relent. And Mio didn't expect her to. With every brutal thrust she took it all. Mio took it all until Ritsu came so hard inside her she screamed.

Ritsu groaned loud and deep as her body tensed and the coil along her back set free. She came quick and fast, warm cum shooting into Mio in jet-like streams. When she finished, Ritsu pressed her naked chest to Mio's back. Her heart raced at the same speed of a bullet train. She closed her eyes and slid her arms underneath Mio trying to catch her breath.

Mio relaxed and relished the warmth in her hips. She closed her eyes and listened to Ritsu's heartbeat, the pounding sound slowly lulling her to rest.

"Mine," Ritsu whispered weakly.

"Yours," Mio answered and drifted into sleep.

* * *

When they woke up around mid noon a quick shower was in order. Of course, neither implied to take one together, but with their fatal attraction towards each other the invitation was somewhat inevitable.

"I'll get us some change of clothes. Go start without me," Ritsu said and bolted down the hallway. She'd worn nothing but the nakedness of her own skin on the way to her room.

Once inside, Ritsu opened the door and pulled out her drawer, picking out two shirts and two pairs of shorts. She then realized she needed a pair of panties for Mio, which she didn't have.

A single idea surfaced to mind, but it was one she didn't particularly like. Nonetheless, Ritsu walked back to the hallway and lingered there for a minute contemplating her next actions. She stood at Mugi's door and waited, thinking if borrowing a pair of underwear from her roommate wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

 _She'll be gone for at least another week. It's not like she'll notice,_ Ritsu thought. _I'll laundry it and return it as soon as Mio gets some clothes of her own. Right. No big deal. Okay, let's do this._

Ritsu turned the knob and entered Mugi's room quickly. The moment she was in she shut the door behind. She felt like she was trespassing. And she was. As quickly as she could, she walked over to the closet, pulling open the drawer to Mugi's arsenal of panties. She didn't have to second guess herself to know where they were in her room. After all, she'd been sleeping with Mugi long before Mio came into her life.

There was a decorative array of panties lined neatly by style, some with safe plain patterns, others with trimmed lace, some that revealed everything and concealed almost nothing. Ritsu groaned and couldn't decide which to choose.

"Relax, it's just a pair of panties."

But the longer she looked the more confused she got. So to resolve the issue, Ritsu closed her eyes and fished one out randomly. All was fair with panties roulette. She tucked it into the other clothes and began walking towards the door. But it wasn't until she was halfway through when she noticed something unusual.

Ritsu turned and realized the slight wrinkles on Mugi's bed. She scanned the room for anything else suspicious and found nothing. Well that was odd. She made the bed right when Mugi left and never touched it since. Steeling her nerves, she walked to the bedside and studied it closer. It looked like someone had been sleeping on it.

 _Wait, sleeping on it?_

Before Ritsu could react, she caught a familiar scent and stilled. She didn't know how she missed it, but it was evidently there, Mugi's scent. In the blink of an eye Mugi manifested on the edge of the mattress just a hairsbreadth away from Ritsu's face.

 _A cloaking spell,_ Ritsu figured.

Mugi tilted her head to the side, her blonde hair falling slightly past her shoulders. She smiled and Ritsu stepped back.

"Hello, Ritsu. Care to explain?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello Ritsu. Care to explain?" Mugi asked. She sat cross-legged with one hand over the other and waited in her baby blue sundress.

"Mugi? W-What are you doing back so soon?" Ritsu stammered nervously.

"It's not polite to answer a question with another question," Mugi said. Her face remained indifferent towards Ritsu. She didn't seem upset that her friend was trespassing, she merely wanted some answers.

"I was just...leaving." Ritsu briskly turned around and headed for the door.

"Surely you don't intend to leave without so much as a welcome back?"

Ritsu was inches away from the door knob when Mugi called out to her. She hung her head in defeat and reluctantly turned around.

"Welcome back?" Ritsu said very awkwardly. Her words came out more of a question than a simple heartfelt greeting.

"Quite the welcoming party I have here too," Mugi said as she watched Ritsu in all her naked glory. A light blush dashed across her cheeks for a fleeting moment. Mugi's blue eyes twinkled with feigned innocence.

Ritsu hurriedly covered her private area with the handful of clothes. "W-Well you know how I am, it's all or nothing, right?" She tried a humorless laugh and failed to lift the mood.

Mugi nodded slowly. "So you say..."

Ritsu swallowed hard, her eyes alight with both guilt and fright. She could hear her heart pumping so fast it wrung through her ears. Mugi hopped off the bed and made her way to her.

"Well, we both know I've already seen whatever you have so there's no need to be bashful." Mugi gently placed her fingers on top of Ritsu's wrist and lowered the set of clothes in her hand. She gazed into Ritsu's eyes and waited.

"Mugi I-"

Whatever Ritsu had to say was cut short as Mugi met her lips with a fervent kiss. At first, Ritsu trembled against her mouth and she wondered why that was so. But eventually Ritsu relaxed into the rhythm and kissed her back harder. She heard the crumple of clothing fall to the floor and felt Ritsu's hands on her face, on her neck, on her waist.

"I take it you missed me too," Mugi said with a smile.

"I was worried you might not come back."

"I was only gone for a month, Richan."

Ritsu kissed Mugi again and pressed their foreheads to each other. "You came back early."

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because I was worried about you too. You know what happens when there's a full moon out."

Ritsu looked off to the side.

"Did the ring I made for you help?"

Ritsu tried a small smile. "Yes, it did. Thank you."

"What about your friends? Did you find the murderer?"

A lump had begun to form in Ritsu's throat. She found it hard to swallow. "Listen, Mugi about that...I..."

"Did you really kill them?" Mugi looked at Ritsu with genuine concern. It were as if she was holding her breath, waiting for the verdict.

"I...I didn't."

Mugi finally released the breath. She was relieved by Ritsu's decision. Her arms wound around Ritsu's neck, bringing her into an embrace.

"That's wonderful news, Richan!"

Ritsu nodded and didn't say anything more. Her throat was tight, painfully constricted. It wasn't because of the hug.

"Listen, Mugi, I need to tell you something." Ritsu pulled away and summed up the courage to look Mugi straight in the eye. "Last night, I didn't kill them. I didn't kill her."

"The assailant was a woman?"

"Yeah, it caught me by surprise too," Ritsu said with a wry smile.

"What happened to her? What did you do?"

"I-I ran into her during the hunt. I tracked her down, we fought for a while." Ritsu thought back to the memory of last night. She imagined the moon looming large over the trees, the fresh crisp air when she took a breath, the cold hard ground beneath when Mio and her sprawled onto it. It seemed so distant now, nothing but a fading memory.

"Did you hurt her? Did she hurt you?" Mugi reached up and took Ritsu's face in her hand to caress her cheek. Ritsu leaned into her palm.

"No, she didn't. She surrendered pretty fast. I was ready to kill her, I really was."

"But you didn't."

Ritsu shook her head.

"What changed your heart?"

Mugi's question wasn't easy to answer. To be honest, Ritsu was having trouble coming to a conclusion of her own. It wasn't like she was in love with Mio. How could she be, when they had only met.

"When I left you were drunk on vengeance it somewhat frightened me. I figured I shouldn't leave you. I didn't want to."

"But you're a Regent, Mugi. The Regent of New Orleans. Who am I to stop you from going out to find new witches for your coven? Even I'm not that selfish."

"But still..."

"I was able to manage without you. Well, more or less."

"Did she help?"

"Yes. No. Wait, what?" Ritsu asked wide-eyed with shock. She looked at Mugi whose blue eyes grew dark with knowledge.

"That girl you spent the night with, in the guest room, she was the murderer you couldn't bring yourself to kill." Mugi walked over to the doorknob and locked it. If Ritsu had planned on escaping, it was too late for that now.

"Y-Yes," Ritsu confessed as she heard the lock click in place. A nervous sweat ran down the edge of her forehead. "When did you-"

"Last night. I arrived last night a few hours before you invited her in. I was about to say something, run up and tell you but you were already too lost in her company."

The color on Ritsu's cheeks reddened. "I didn't sense your presence-"

"I am a witch after all, Richan," Mugi whispered from behind.

"Right," Ritsu answered and kept her head obediently low. She felt Mugi's fingertips tracing the center of her back, slowly moving upwards to her shoulders. Her movement was so light and gentle, it sent every nerve in Ritsu's body tingling.

"I used a cloaking spell, a stronger variant compared to earlier. I stood by the hallway and watched you from a distance. At first you were just talking to her, but then things escalated quickly..." Mugi's hands dropped to Ritsu's arms. She pressed herself closer to Ritsu, sending every hair on edge. "And before I knew it you two were having sex."

Ritsu fell silent at once.

"Did you use any condoms?"

"No," Ritsu admitted. Condoms were the last things on her mind last night or this morning.

"Why not?"

"I fell into a rut, a very strong one."

Mugi caressed Ritsu's nimble fingers and slid her hand back to Ritsu's hips. She felt her taut stomach tense under her touch, lean muscles flexing from her nervousness.

"A rut? Not many girls can handle you when you get that way. She must be special."

"Mio's a vampire," Ritsu said as she balled her hands into fists. Mugi's hands reached her v line, massaging her there, circling around and around her sensitive skin.

Mugi smiled into Ritsu. She didn't sound surprised that Mio was a supernatural being. If anything it intrigued her even more.

"She knows what you are. But she doesn't know who you are." Mugi kissed the back of Ritsu's nape and wrapped her fingers around Ritsu's cock, pumping her slowly.

Ritsu found that she couldn't move her body. She'd been naive enough to think that Mugi's touches weren't anything more than that. But that was a mistake. They had been the workings of an intricate, advanced spell. She let out a ragged breath as Mugi continued pumping her hardening length.

"I don't care who you sleep with. I don't mind her staying here either. I'm not upset," Mugi said softly. "But I do miss you."

Ritsu groaned from the work of Mugi's hands. The spell only bound her body and not her mouth, but she couldn't even speak with a clear head.

"I know it's only been a month, but the truth is I've forgotten what you feel like."

Ritsu closed her eyes. Mugi worked her hand faster, familiar with the right pace that would get her to come in only minutes. Mugi knew her body, how it worked, what she liked. At this rate she knew she couldn't hold on for much longer.

"You're...You're punishing me," Ritsu rasped.

"This isn't your punishment," Mugi replied.

Mugi pumped her hand faster before suddenly letting go. A sound came out of Ritsu's mouth. A sort of animal whimper a dog would make after being hit by a car. Mugi knew she was close, one more second and Ritsu would've come in her hand. She stepped back and began untying the ribbon from the back of her sundress. In one fluid motion she shrugged off the straps on her shoulders and let it fall to the ground.

"I'm going to have my way with you now."

Ritsu's heart hammered in her chest not out of nervousness, but excitement. She played enough games with Mugi to know how this worked. "What is my order?"

"Try and stop me," Mugi whispered into Ritsu's ear.

All at once the spell came undone and Ritsu moved on her own again, Mugi coming after her with her body. She backed up into the bed and onto the mattress. One of Ritsu's arms wrapped around Mugi's waist and dragged her onto her back, the other reached for her wrist and pinned her to the bed. The hands were one of the most valued body parts for witches. Seasoned witches like Mugi need only flick their wrist to activate a spell.

"Hardly a challenge," Ritsu said with a witty grin.

"Oh really?" Mugi dug in her heels and pushed against Ritsu. Her strength surprised the brunette for a quick moment. She knew Ritsu was unnaturally strong which was why she planned her spells ahead of time.

Caught in a heated frenzy of limbs and joints, Mugi pushed off Ritsu and drew a quick, calculated line down from her chest to her stomach. The girl groaned underneath her, white searing pain flooding through her entire body . Ritsu might have been a werewolf, but witches came with their own tricks too.

Mugi mounted Ritsu quickly after that, spreading her thighs apart and inviting her in. Ritsu writhed underneath her, still reeling from the pain. When she looked up she didn't realize she was already inside Mugi. They moved against each other with a passion that burned the both of them. Mugi withdrew Ritsu to the tip and slammed back in.

"Oh Richan," Mugi moaned. "Now I remember-"

Ritsu surrendered to Mugi, thrusting into her with a pounding force that sent Mugi over a quick orgasm. She cried out in ecstasy, contracting around Ritsu in pulsing waves. Ritsu tensed underneath, clutching onto the bedsheets for dear life. Mugi's orgasms were always so intense they always wrenched Ritsu to come.

But she didn't.

And it wasn't because she didn't want to. Ritsu found that she couldn't. She looked up at Mugi in confusion before coming to a horrible conclusion.

This was her punishment.

Mugi rolled her hips against Ritsu back and forth, teasing her in only the cruelest of ways. She didn't mind Ritsu sleeping with a mere stranger under her roof, but she was still genuinely hurt, and perhaps a tad bit jealous.

"You're upset," Ritsu groaned as she bucked her hips into Mugi.

"Now, what makes you say that?"

Ritsu dropped her head back into the pillows as Mugi rode her through and through. She glanced up at the luxurious canopy styled bed and sighed, wanting so badly to come but knowing that she couldn't. So instead, she let Mugi do the work for her, lifting her hips only every so often to match her efforts.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Mugi whispered.

Ritsu closed her eyes and raised one arm over her face. She tried not to focus on Mugi's heat. She was so wet and warm, and deliciously soft that all she wanted to do was coat her innards with her essence.

"Do you want an apology?" Ritsu asked breathily.

"No apologies. We're not in a relationship, at least not in an exclusive one."

"Then please, tell me, this is just temporary." Ritsu took her arm away and looked Mugi straight in the eye. "Because this is the worst case of blue balls yet."

Mugi licked her lips and took Ritsu's small breasts in her hands, kneading them slowly. The frustration on Ritsu's face was so adorable that she couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Why don't you find out?"

"Mugi..." Ritsu warned.

"Go ahead. We both know you can't break me either."

Ritsu released a hard breath. She thrust her hips a little faster to meet Mugi's pace.

"Take me just like how you took her. Make me yours, Ritsu."

Ritsu's eyes glowed a brilliant gold for a moment. She sat upright and reached for a desperate, hungry kiss. Their mouths and tongues were on each other, seeking and prodding in a heated frenzy. Ritsu kissed Mugi so hard Mugi balked from the shock of her ferocity. She shifted her hips slightly and forced her on her back.

Ritsu pulled out of her only for a second and positioned one of the pillows underneath Mugi. In one swift, brutal thrust she impaled her hard enough to cause her whole body to shudder. Mugi's body came off the bed and Ritsu leaned into her until her knees came up to her chest. They kissed again and again while Ritsu thrust into her repeatedly.

The pressure in Ritsu's hips intensified, the pain grew. She didn't know what true desperation felt like until now. She let out a low, animalistic growl and bit Mugi's neck so hard she cried against her ear. Slowly, she let the pain wash over her body, allowed herself to fuck Mugi without abandon. But the harder she fucked her, the more aroused Mugi became and the tighter she wrapped around her cock.

Ritsu let out a desperate whine against Mugi's neck as Mugi's vaginal muscles clenched onto her length. She groaned and thrust into her harder, closing her eyes as she pushed deep into Mugi's womb.

Mugi pulled up her knees as Ritsu filled her entire body. She felt her own fluid cool and slick on her thighs. Her innards fluttered around Ritsu's penis, her body torn between the twin needs to push her out or pull her in deeper and deeper. When Mugi reached her orgasm, she lifted her hips and came so fiercely Ritsu stifled a gasp.

"Richan!" Mugi cried out and wrapped her legs around Ritsu. A wave of blissful pleasure flowed through her entire body, sending small frequent shocks to her muscles.

Ritsu groaned onto Mugi's neck. Her hips pumped in short, quick thrusts. Despite making Mugi come, she still could not find her own release.

"You're killing me," Ritsu said shakily.

Mugi clamped down on Ritsu, clenching and unclenching her pelvic muscles. The brunette in her arms squirmed and thrust into her involuntarily. She sighed as Ritsu's cock twitched and throbbed inside her with frustration.

"This isn't fair," Ritsu complained.

"You can come only when I say you can come."

Ritsu propped herself on one arm and suddenly took Mugi by the neck with the other. Her eyes glowed a sinister shade of gold, like that of the sun eclipsed by the moon. She was a mess of emotions; anger, frustration, annoyance. Her hand wrapped around Mugi a little tighter, and she watched her partner stare back at her with fierce determination. Her threat didn't seem to register. Slowly, she took several deep breaths to calm herself and released Mugi's neck.

"This is cruel. I didn't think you could be this way with me."

"You know what I'm capable of. This shouldn't surprise you." Mugi trailed one finger along Ritsu's hip, allowing her just a morsel of release.

"Less talking. More fucking," Ritsu suggested.

She didn't have the slightest clue when she'd come, but she was determined to find out one way or another. Ritsu pulled out of Mugi and wrapped her hand around her cock, pumping in a slow, steady pace. She looked down at her strained erection and pumped faster until Mugi moved up to touch her hand.

"Here, allow me."

Mugi serviced Ritsu, which was an undeniably erotic scene to watch. She started slow at first, not wanting to rush her actions, but the moment she worked faster the pressure instantly built up in Ritsu's hips. She reached down for Mugi and groaned deeply from the back of her throat, completely seized by the blissful waves of pleasure that surged through her. After a handful of minutes, Ritsu forced Mugi to stop and pushed her back down, wanting, needing to be inside her again.

"I can break you, Mugi. You're not like her."

"You're right. I'm not like her. But I won't break either. You can certainly try though."

Mugi reached for Ritsu and brought their lips together again. The kiss was quick and full of passion that Mugi groaned from the back of her throat, a groan Ritsu hungrily swallowed with her mouth. Gone were the ropes that bound Ritsu to self-restraint, and now all Mugi felt was the desperation and need from the girl's body.

It was torture. The most sadistic form of torture she'd ever inflicted on Ritsu yet. And she hadn't intended to use it on her initially even after all the events last night. But the moment Ritsu walked into her room, it came as second nature to her.

Perhaps she was lying after all. Ritsu sleeping with someone else did strike a chord with her. And after their absence from each other she'd grown some feelings for Ritsu, albeit unintentionally.

"You got quiet," Ritsu whispered as she brought her mouth to Mugi's ear and entered her swiftly from behind. Mugi tensed only for a second before Ritsu began moving inside her again.

Mugi didn't respond and remained passively submissive underneath. She was lost in her thoughts and this newfound feeling that tugged at her heart. Ritsu thrust into her, and with every thrust Mugi held onto the sheets even tighter. She raised her hips, seeking some sort of satisfaction and felt the pressure build up in her stomach.

"Please," Ritsu begged softly. Her thrusts faltered and her cock swelled up, eager for its pending release. "Let me come, Mugi."

"More," Mugi whispered against the bed sheets.

"Grant me relief and you will own me for all eternity," Ritsu pledged. "My heart, my body-"

"Give me your heart."

Mugi looked back at Ritsu, her eyes soft and tender as they glanced at each other. Ritsu stopped moving altogether. Mugi pulled away from under her and laid on her back so that she could see Ritsu's face clearly.

"Give me your heart, Ritsu. Even if it now belongs to another."

Ritsu paused for a very long time. And then she nodded.

Mugi spread her legs apart and guided Ritsu in without another word. Once inside, her innards fluttered around the fullness of Ritsu's cock, pulsing against her length while she started thrusting. Each thrust was slow and deliberate as Ritsu moved in and out of her masterfully. Mugi arched into her, coaxing her body closer. She reached between them and pressed her palm against Ritsu's bare chest. Her heartbeat thundered against her fingertips, loud and steady, so full of life. She brought her lips to Ritsu's ear and said, "Come."

Ritsu pushed into Mugi one final time and with one guttural cry came inside her on command. She flinched from the shock of how hard she'd come. Her orgasm seemed to last forever, so long Ritsu not only felt it would never end, but feared it would never end. On and on waves of pleasure washed over and into her. The sheer relief of finally, after an hour of torture, finishing had stripped her of all her base senses and comprehension of time.

After what were only mere seconds, Ritsu fell limp and lazily draped her body on top of Mugi. She had yet to come out of her haze, but she was too tired to do much of anything at this point.

"Thank you," Ritsu breathed. A small appreciative smile crossed her face as she kissed the side of Mugi's neck and closed her eyes.

"You're welcome," Mugi answered and combed her fingers through Ritsu's brown locks until Ritsu peacefully fell asleep in her arms.

* * *

Some minutes later when Ritsu fell into a very deep slumber Mugi crawled out of bed and collected her clothes. As she slipped into her sundress and looked back, the brunette stirred in her sleep.

Mugi smiled at the scene and combed her blonde hair until she looked presentable again. During the hour of torture Ritsu had been sweating from desire, but now she was calm and at peace. If she went alone undisturbed, Mugi was sure she'd sleep through what hours were left in the day.

And that was exactly what Mugi had planned all along.

After all, she'd accounted that Ritsu wouldn't be so ready to introduce her to the girl she slept with the night before. Mugi gathered the article of clothes that Ritsu had taken for her guest and picked out the underwear Ritsu had attempted to take from her closet.

"Oh Richan," Mugi said with a mischievous smile. She took a good long look at a pair of her sexy underwear, a rose colored thong which she only reserved for the most special occasions.

Clearly the Ritsu hadn't intended on picking out such a bold choice, but Mugi made no qualms and simply took it with the rest of the clothes. She quickly stepped out of the room and made for the room just a few doors down the hall.

There was a pause, a pause that lasted no longer than a minute before Mugi decided to open the door and finally meet this guest of Ritsu's. When she turned the knob and stepped in Mio, whose body was still wrapped around the towel, instinctively followed the sound.

"Ritsu, you took too long-"

Mugi closed the door behind but made no move to lock it.

"Sorry, Ritsu's a bit preoccupied at the moment."

Mio instantly fell silent.

"But she did send these for you." Mugi crossed the room and handed the clothes out to Mio who took them hesitantly.

The moment Mio looked down at the underwear her face flushed bright red.

"I apologize if it's not to your liking."

Mio shook her head. "It's not that..."

"I too was shocked when she picked that out from my closet."

Mio glanced up at Mugi with eyes full of questions. "Your closet?"

"Yes, Richan and I live together here."

Mio swallowed nervously. She wasn't aware that Ritsu was living with someone already.

"I see she hasn't told you yet." Mugi sauntered off to the bed and laid her hand over the crumpled sheets. "I guess you can say I'm Ritsu's...lover."


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Thank you so much for your continued support on this story. Your reviews and comments never go unnoticed; it's always a delight to hear your personal opinions on every chapter!

* * *

"I guess you can say I'm Ritsu's...lover."

Mio tried not to flinch at her words, but even the revelation had caught her by surprise. When she slept with Ritsu she didn't consider the possibility that she might've been in a relationship.

"Her lover?"

"It's not an exclusive relationship. We're not officially together."

"And just who exactly are you?"

"Tsumugi Kotobuki, although Mugi will do just fine."

With very careful eyes, Mio watched Mugi stand by the foot of the bed, absently tracing the cold bedsheets with her fingertips. There was an air of mystery to her, and a silent warning that came from her aura as she paced the room.

"And you must be Mio."

Mio nodded and looked off to the side. She still wasn't sure what to make of Ritsu's secret lover.

"Richan is very fond of you despite your former...circumstances."

"I didn't know-"

Mugi turned around and raised an eyebrow in her direction. Mio decided not to say anything else afterward.

"I'm not here to threaten you, Mio. So please, be at ease. Like I said before, Ritsu and I are not in an exclusive relationship. I hold no grudge towards you or her."

"Where is Ritsu?" Mio clutched onto the towel wrapped around her body tighter.

"Ah, Richan," Mugi said with a small smile. "It seems both of us have worn her out for the day. Even wolves have their limits."

Mio felt a familiar rush of heat wash over her face. Suddenly she knew why Ritsu had never gotten back to her. She must've been busy trying to appease her other lover. Mio felt utterly ashamed and decided leaving the vicinity would be best. If she left now Ritsu would never know her whereabouts.

"I should get going-"

"Please, stay," Mugi said and lifted one hand.

"No, I should really be on my way." Mio shook her head in protest. She didn't feel welcome in this unusually strange house anymore. Mio set the clothes by a table and collected her own which were haphazardly scattered all over the room.

Mugi watched Mio for a few minutes in complete silence. Mio gathered her clothes a little faster and backed up to the opposite corner of the room.

"Where will you go?" Mugi asked before turning away politely.

Mio was grateful for some of the privacy Mugi offered, but she still dressed herself as quickly as she could. She didn't know much about Ritsu, and even less in regards to her lover.

"Any place far from here."

"You won't make it," Mugi said as she looked out the window and peered through the dark blue curtains. There were a good amount of people walking down midday through the town.

"...I have to try."

"There's a bounty on your head. You'll never make it past the French Quarter. The streets are crawling with all sorts of beings, werewolves particularly."

"I can manage, it's not like I haven't fought my share of enemies before." Mio finished zipping up her jeans and began tying her hair into a ponytail.

"Not like this. Ritsu's pack is one of the strongest here in the French Quarter. I guarantee you won't even last a mile from where you're standing."

When Mio finally finished, she crossed the room towards the door. Mugi regarded her with quiet, observant eyes. There was something unusual about her, something Mio couldn't point out.

"You've slept with Richan," Mugi began. "Am I correct?"

"W-What?"

"You had sex with her."

Mio flushed beet red at Mugi's bluntness.

"Richan told me she didn't use any protection because she fell into a rut while she was with you. But there is never an excuse for neglecting precautions when it involves intercourse between two supernatural beings." The moment Mugi and Mio locked eyes, a tense atmosphere settled between them. "Without taking the necessary care, there is the possibility that Richan can get you pregnant."

Mio swallowed thickly. She hadn't dealt with what consequences might come after sleeping with Ritsu without protection.

"But I can't get pregnant," Mio corrected. Interbreeding had never been successful, at least not with the knowledge she accumulated after all her years.

"You can," Mugi answered back. "You've never had sex with a werewolf, have you?"

Mio sealed her lips in a tight line. She shook her head.

"They're quite a handful, to be honest. You and I both know this from experience now." Mugi paused and waited for a sincere reaction from Mio. She waited the space of five heartbeats before continuing. "Richan can very much get you pregnant, Mio, despite the heap of differences that separate your races. Her seed is highly potent to anyone, even to a vampire like you."

A wave of uneasiness befell Mio in an instant. The prospect of pregnancy definitely wasn't an option.

"There's no way..." Mio said.

"It's true. I've had some scares of my own. But luckily for me I have the resources to avoid it all."

Mugi closed the distance between them. Mio wondered what sort of resources she was going on about. Suddenly, Mugi gently reached for Mio's hand and touched the daylight ring around her left hand.

"Forgive me. This might hurt a little," Mugi warned before she chanted a short verse and channeled the magic from Mio's daylight ring. The lapis amulet glowed brilliantly before the color dulled. Once a single ray of light made contact with Mio's wrist, white searing pain burned through her flesh forcing her to retreat to the darkest corner of the room.

Mio held up her wrist over her chest protectively. It all happened so fast she wasn't completely sure what had happened. But then her ring broke the next second and crumbled into pieces on the floor.

"My apologies. I can imagine that it would've cost you a lot."

The cost of it couldn't precisely be measured with money. Mio had to pull more than few strings and favors to get it on her own.

"You're a witch," Mio confirmed. Without her ring the thought of escape was thrown out altogether. But there was something odd in the way Mugi had dispelled her ring. Only a powerful, seasoned witch could destroy it in mere seconds.

Mugi nodded. "Indeed. But not just any witch, I am the Regent of the French Quarter Coven."

A Regent. Ritsu's lover was a Regent? Mio looked over the head of the bed where Ritsu's silver chains were. It dawned on her that the letters and symbols written in the leather cuffs were from spells.

"You look surprised," Mugi pointed out.

The burn on Mio's wrist began to heal, but it had been some time since she'd felt pain from sunlight.

"I can't blame you. To be fair, this is a lot to take in a day."

A lot wasn't exactly the right word to describe it. It was overwhelming.

"So you use magic," Mio finally said. "To stay with Ritsu."

"Magic and a few elixirs here and there." Mugi touched the necklace around her own neck which held a small vial of fluid. Carefully she took it off and held it out towards Mio. "I figured there would've been a night or two when Ritsu would be reckless during my absence."

Mio made no move to accept the vial. After destroying her daylight ring Mugi seemed to pose as a threat. Perhaps an even bigger threat than Ritsu ever did.

"You don't trust me?" Mugi asked. She stepped into the shadows, leveling the battleground for Mio.

"You broke my ring."

"It was necessary. If you had walked out right then Ritsu would never see you again," Mugi said.

Mio took the opportunity to turn the tables. Using her speed she pinned Mugi against the wall so hard the vial in her hand nearly dropped.

"You're not my keeper!" Mio yelled out. She refused to be a prisoner by some witch.

"I'm not, but I won't have you make a decision you'll regret." Mugi clutched the vial into her hand protectively. "Especially if that decision would consequently break Ritsu's heart."

"What?"

"Ritsu is in love with you."

Mio's grip on Mugi's shoulder loosened. Sure, they confessed their love during their moment of passion, but in reality Mio didn't think much of it. It was a ridiculous notion. How could someone fall in love with a person they just met in one night?

"Do you feel the same? Do you love her too?"

Mio wasn't certain how to respond to Mugi's question. The immediate answer should've been 'no', but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

"She cares for you deeply," Mugi said.

Mio closed her eyes for a moment. Even if she stayed they would only be delaying the inevitable. People of their kind were never meant to be together.

"I love her," Mugi confessed. "And if you feel the same, you should stay."

Mio released Mugi from her vice-like grip. She would be lying if she said she didn't indulge the thought of being together with Ritsu more than once that night. But even so...what would be of her relationship with Mugi?

"I won't fight you for her, Mio." Mugi opened her palm again, revealing the small vial. "If anything, I'm here to help."

Mio glanced at the vial cautiously. She was still hesitant on taking any form of help from Mugi.

"Don't trust me? It's not poison, I assure you." Mugi uncapped the vial and brought it up to her lips. She took a small sip from it and closed it again, careful not to spill the contents.

A minute had passed, than two, and three. Nothing happened. Mugi was still alive when Mio expected some sort of reaction.

"It took a bit of doing, but it gets the job done. This is what I drink to stay with Ritsu after satisfying her bodily needs."

Mio didn't trust Mugi, but the chance of escaping an unplanned pregnancy did sound favorable. Besides, it wasn't like she had any resources of her own to undo what could've been. However, accepting Mugi's kindness would mean one definitive thing, that she would surrender to her for help.

"What will it cost me?" Mio asked. She knew all too well that nothing came free, especially not this gift.

"Hmm," Mugi hummed as she placed a single finger on her lips and thought deeply. "Well, I'm not one to ask for much. So let's agree that you'll ensure Ritsu's happiness in return."

"You're asking me to stay," Mio pointed out.

"We can fix the misunderstanding between Ritsu's pack and you."

"But that would take forever."

"Not really. You see, as Regent I do have some leverage over the wolves here. I made them moonlight rings to control their ability to shift. They wouldn't dare cross the very witch who granted them full reign of their own curse and power." Mugi stepped closer and handed the small vial to Mio. "So, what do you say?"

Mio tried to think of another way out, but unfortunately there weren't any. She figured a temporary alliance would be her best bet, even if it meant aligning herself with Ritsu's lover. She took the vial and looked at it closely. The concoction was blue and transparent as she brought it up to her lips and drank it. It did taste a bit odd, but not unpleasant.

Mugi sighed out of relief and Mio handed back the empty vial. But the moment she did, she felt uneasy, almost lightheaded. The vial dropped on the floor, the glass shattered into pieces.

"I wasn't sure about you, so the vial had something else in it," Mugi said as she stepped forward now that Mio was weakened. "It's not poison, but-"

"Vervain," Mio finished.

"I made some alterations," Mugi touched Mio's cheek. Her face was flushed from the vervain flowing in her system.

"But there's...something else," Mio panted. As the vervain burned through her it didn't weaken her completely. But she felt strange. Mugi's touch seemed to stir something deep inside her. The simple gesture was both pleasant and comforting. She didn't move away. In fact, she found herself longing for more bodily contact.

"A rare and highly potent aphrodisiac I picked up during my time away from Ritsu. I also added some mugwort and hibiscus flower to periodically counteract the effects of the vervain."

"Why?" Mio asked weakly. She set a hand by the wall to support herself. Mugi pulled back a strand of her raven hair behind her ear.

"Richan took great interest in you last night. I was intrigued as well."

Mio tried to retaliate and tackled Mugi onto the floor. They both collided on the ground with a dull thud. Although the vervain didn't work at its full potential it did weaken Mio considerably.

"What do you want from me?" Mio asked.

"What I want, is to know what makes you special." Mugi placed her hand on the side of Mio's neck and dragged it down, resting right between her breasts.

Mio blushed and tried to retreat Mugi's advances, but Mugi pulled her close, close enough to feel their breaths lingering between each other.

"I want to know," Mugi whispered against Mio's lips. Slowly, she lifted her head until they kissed.

Mio's eyes went wide with shock. The least she expected was a kiss from her captor. She pulled back but Mugi was insistent. The second kiss was rougher, with more purpose. Mio closed her eyes tightly as she felt the aphrodisiac in her system taking full effect of her body.

"There's no need to be afraid," Mugi said. Her hands wandered Mio's body, searching, exploring every dip and slope of her figure.

"This...is wrong," Mio replied sheepishly. "I shouldn't...feel this way."

"Was it so wrong that you fell in love with a wolf?" Mugi asked.

"W-What? But I didn't...I mean I..." Mio waited. Try as she might, she couldn't deny her feelings for Ritsu. The words refused to leave her lips.

"I fell in love with her too, but it didn't feel wrong. She and I have our differences, sure. But that doesn't mean we aren't meant to be together."

Mio closed her eyes and when she did she heard Mugi's heartbeat racing. She didn't feed for hours after her time in bed with Ritsu. And now a deep, dark hunger began to consume her. Mio needed sustenance.

Mugi seemed to sense the urgency in Mio. She could tell by one look in her eyes. Quickly, she hooked her leg with Mio's and rolled her weight, forcing the girl on her back. The color in Mio's irises only darkened until they had gone completely black.

"You need to feed," Mugi stated.

Mio flushed as she tried her best to restrain herself. Mugi's words were barely audible to her, it were as though she'd gone deaf. Her ears began to ring and her body began to retaliate from depravation. If this went on, she wasn't sure what would happen next.

Mugi bent down and kissed Mio, taking her by surprise yet again. This time she didn't pull away. Instead, she kissed her back with the same amount of pressure as she did with Ritsu. It was strange, definitely, and for the most part she blamed the drug Mugi induced her with. But if she were to be completely honest with herself, it might have been her own curiosity.

"Mugi..." Mio said shakily.

Mugi bit down on Mio's bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. She licked the small speck on her lips and narrowed her eyes at the girl. It was a daring move, one that Mio caught on to quickly.

They kissed and kissed until Mio tasted her blood on Mugi's lips. It was an intoxicating sensation as the line between her sanity and self-control began to blur into one. This wasn't good. Mio had boundaries, lines she wouldn't dare cross, but with every passing second she could feel herself falling deeper and deeper into depravity.

"It's okay Mio-chan," Mugi whispered into her ear. "Drink."

Mio's eyes fluttered shut as she focused on Mugi's pulse beating fast and steady on her neck. If she focused hard enough, she could restrain herself from taking too much. Mugi's fingers wrapped around the back of her neck, forcing her lips onto her flesh. She opened her mouth and sank her teeth quickly, drinking without the slightest hint of hesitation.

In the darkness Mio saw a small flame which she imagined to be Mugi's life force. If she did it properly, she would drink only enough to keep the flame alight. The flame flickered as she drank Mugi's blood, cool and savory down the smallest drop. In some ways, Mugi's blood tasted much sweeter than Ritsu's. It might've been because of their difference in power.

Mio drank a little more, so much that the flame began to waver and dwindle. She'd underestimated her thirst, her hunger. And she hated herself for succumbing to her baser self. Death seemed eminent for Mugi at this point, and even if Mio tried to reason with herself, she saw no way to stop herself from what she was doing. It would only be a matter of seconds before Mugi would fall and the French Quarter would lose their Regent.

The flame dwindled down to the last bit and Mio apologized in utter silence for her actions, not wanting to end her life so soon.

But just as the light nearly went out, the flame danced back to life, burning brighter than ever before. Mio opened her eyes and pulled away while Mugi held the back of her neck with one hand. There was a spark in her dark blue eyes, a newfound energy that Mio hadn't recognized. Mio thought Mugi had never looked more alive than in that moment. It was only then that she fully acknowledged Mugi's power as a Regent.

Mugi tightened her iron grip on Mio's neck, hinting at what would come next. A quick snap was all it took to incapacitate Mio in an instant. As the girl fell limp in her arms, she held her free hand over her own neck, bloodied from the excessive amount she lost. She too, felt light headed after putting on a brave show. But it was a necessary risk she needed to take to ensure Mio's safety.

Gently, she set the girl aside for the time being and applied pressure to her own neck. As she took a long look around the room, she realized just how much of a mess they caused within such a short amount of time. Mugi sighed to herself, relieved that things went the way she planned, more or less. After a few more minutes of recovery, she placed Mio on the bed for the time being. After all, she was still considered a house guest under her roof.

Mugi crossed the room, waving her hand as the rest of the curtains moved to conceal most of the sunlight streaming through the windowpane. By the doorway she watched Mio from a safe distance and turned the knob ever so slowly.

When Ritsu and Mio would wake, a meeting was definitely in order.


	5. Chapter 5

Ritsu woke with a start, panting and gasping for breath as she bolted upright on her bed. She had the strangest dream. However, it wasn't as much of a dream as it was a nightmare.

"It wasn't real," Ritsu said to herself in the silence of the room.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and turned to her side only to realize she wasn't alone. Beside her lay Mio fast asleep. Well, that was a little odd. She knew vampires didn't need sleep, and yet here she was resting like it was a part of her daily routine. Ritsu stroked Mio's cheek gently and felt the cold contrast of her skin against hers. She still couldn't believe that somehow she'd survived a whole night with her in bed.

Ritsu fell onto her back and closed her eyes. She couldn't tell if the sex in reality or her dreams was to blame for her fatigue. Her body had already recovered most of its stamina, but her soul burned for the guilt of her wrongdoing. It was wrong and she knew it. It was wrong and she still did it - she slept with another woman when she was already involved with someone else, Mugi.

Ritsu muttered a curse under her breath and clawed at her chest. Her body fueled with a heat that threatened to burn her from the inside out. Suddenly, a hand reached out to her and forced her eyes open. The hand came from the opposite direction of Mio. Ritsu turned to find Mugi who also laid with her on the mattress.

"Hello Richan," Mugi said with a sultry smile.

Ritsu blinked absently and felt Mugi's body press up against hers without invitation.

 _So it wasn't just my imagination,_ Ritsu said to herself defeatedly. _I really did sleep...with both of them._

"Richan?"

Ritsu groaned and facepalmed herself. It was still dark out, and from the sounds outside it seemed to be raining hard.

"How long was I out for?"

"A whole day."

Ritsu sighed. A whole day? One night of relentless sex and another hour with Mugi was enough to knock her out for an entire day? She was amazed she was still drawing breath this morning.

"You did a number on me," Ritsu answered. "I'm roughed up all over."

"Well, Mio was to blame for half of what you're feeling."

"She wasn't the one who stopped me from coming for an hour."

A slow, satisfied smile spread across Mugi's face. Ritsu massaged the bridge of her nose out of frustration.

"It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Mugi sidled up to Ritsu forcing their eyes to meet. She didn't love it, but she didn't hate it either. It was hard to say. Back before then, she thought herself as the dominant in bed, but with Mugi there were times when she was uncharacteristically submissive. It would've been weird admitting she enjoyed it.

"I needed to keep you on your leash," Mugi teased.

"I'm not your pet-"

"But you are my wolf."

 _Her wolf_ , Ritsu repeated. She bit back her pride that threatened to counter Mugi's words. They had an alliance, a partnership of sorts that worked well for the both of them. Ritsu wasn't nearly as powerful as she hoped she'd be, but with Mugi's help as Regent in New Orleans anything seemed possible.

"Why is Mio here?"

"I figured it would be better to keep a close eye on her."

"In the same room? On the same bed?" Ritsu deadpanned.

"She's out cold just like you were."

"She's sleeping," Ritsu said while inspecting the girl beside her.

"No, I wouldn't say that. More like trapped in a spell-induced coma."

"A what?"

"Relax, it's temporary. She'll wake soon enough."

"How soon?" Ritsu asked and studied every breath Mio took.

"An hour or less." Mugi ran her hands along Ritsu's chest. After sleeping with her, she hadn't dressed herself in anything else after falling asleep. "It was the only thing I could do. She tried to run away. She would've killed herself if I hadn't stopped her."

That much was believable. After spending half a year in the city, Ritsu knew the precautions to take when situations like this arose. When a wolf pack was out for blood they wouldn't stop until their justice was delivered. They were relentless, merciless, unforgiving with their enemies and Mio would be no exception.

"Thank you," Ritsu said quietly. She noted the sensual, featherlight touches on her skin and held her breath. Mugi and her locked eyes after that. "Mugi...?"

"Please, Ritsu?"

Ritsu shook her head disapprovingly. "No, definitely not. I haven't even recovered yet-"

"Oh? Then what about this?" Mugi asked, reaching down between Ritsu's hips where her morning wood sprung out happily. "Seems like you're doing well already."

"I-It's not what you think it is," Ritsu said, panicked. She immediately swatted Mugi's hands off of her and blushed.

"You know you want to."

"No, I-I don't."

"You don't sound too sure about that."

"I'm sure," Ritsu said, turning away. She hated how often her body had its own agenda.

"Really?" Mugi asked. She licked her lips for good measure in front of the brunette, daring her to think otherwise. There was a pause, a pause so deafening she was certain Ritsu would jump her the second it stopped.

But she was wrong.

Ritsu scurried out of bed as fast as she could and headed for the bathroom covering her private parts all the way through. Mugi didn't chase her, but it was amusing to see the brunette run off assuming that she would have. The teasing was only to pull a few strings from her partner, added payback for her infidelity while she was away.

Ritsu locked the door behind and turned on the shower. The smell of sex and sweat clung onto her skin so potently that it overwhelmed her senses. As the water poured over her head and hair drenching every inch of her body she willed her heartbeat to slow. Eventually, her body calmed down and she didn't need to release the tension she'd felt earlier. Well, that was a relief. If she forced herself to finish so soon after recovering she was sure she'd be dead shortly after.

A slow, deep breath left her lips as cold water continued pouring over her. In the quiet stillness of the room she thought back to what Mio must've felt before deciding to leave. She couldn't help but sympathize with the girl to an extent, especially when she was lost in her own way too not so long ago.

* * *

It was a dark and stormy night when Ritsu stumbled through the streets, cold, bedraggled and without a single clue where to go next. She'd done some research on the city before venturing off to it, but other than that there wasn't much she had to go on. Apparently, New Orleans was home to many wolves like her kind, distinctive clans who've had years of experience to master their abilities and curse. As a newly turned wolf and an omega with no pack and no clan to tether herself to, Ritsu knew she was as good as dead if she didn't find one soon. So she set off at once in search of some company, any pack she deemed herself worthy hoping for the best.

She ran into the sidewalk and took shelter from the rain and waited. The storm only worsened with time. Ritsu crossed her arms and walked on. Staying outside wasn't an option, the last thing she needed was to catch a cold. So she walked and walked, spotting only a few brave souls in the streets. There were some restaurants and a few bars that happily took any customer passing by. She stopped only to inhale the heavenly scent of food. Her stomach grumbled shortly after and she curled forward with her arms around herself.

"So hungry," she muttered quietly.

She took in her options and decided to take her chances with the nearest gastropub. It wasn't the best choice for finding quality food, but one appetizer and a drink would have to do. She walked in with as much confidence she could muster and took the first seat available. It was busy even for a Thursday night. _Didn't people have jobs to go to in the morning?_ The water from her hair dripped onto the menu she took by the condiments. It was difficult to make out what was what in the dim lighting.

"What can I get for you?"

Ritsu looked up surprised to find a beautiful, blonde haired girl looking back at her expectantly. Her eyes were bright and blue, like the open sea on a good day.

"Um...I think I need a few more minutes."

"How about some french fries?"

"I...sure," Ritsu said biting back her initial protest. She was starving, famished even. She imagined how good something greasy and fattening would taste. It was exactly what she needed right now.

"Okay," the girl replied and sauntered off with her order.

Inside the bar Ritsu felt a little better, warmer at best. The ambiance of the room and the lively atmosphere did much to settle her nerves. She was a foreigner still trying to grasp the differences of life outside of Japan.

"You're new around here," the girl said after returning to the counter. It wasn't so much of a question as it was a statement.

"What gave it away?"

"I know everyone in town."

"Everyone?" Ritsu asked.

"Everyone."

"That's impossible," Ritsu said half grinning. Her playful banter with this beautiful girl did much to calm the hunger in her stomach for the time being.

"It's not impossible when you've lived here your entire life."

The girl took a glass from the shelf and poured some amber liquid into it, filling a good amount before sliding it over to Ritsu.

"Do you have a name?" She asked.

Ritsu took the whiskey and drank it the moment it reached her hand. She hadn't realized how parched she was. The alcohol might've been a bad call however. Drinking on an empty stomach never turned out all that well.

"Ritsu," she said with a slight strain in her voice. The alcohol burned down her throat all the way to the pit of her stomach.

"And where did you come from, Ritsu?"

"Japan." She watched the girl bring out her order of fries and placed them in front of her. She waited, not wanting to look too eager to eat her food. "And yours?"

"Tsumugi Kotobuki, but you can call me Mugi for short."

"You're Japanese?"

"Was it not obvious?"

"No, it's just...blonde hair and blue eyes are uncommon from what I recall." Ritsu finally took one of the fries and popped it into her mouth. She sighed contently.

"Good?"

Ritsu only nodded with her mouth still full. She downed a few more bites and finished the rest of her whiskey.

"So what brings you to New Orleans?"

Ritsu looked up from her food and stopped eating. "Sightseeing."

"So you're traveling on vacation?"

"Sort of," Ritsu said with a sly smile. It wasn't like she could tell Mugi the honest truth. The last thing she needed was to have a pretty girl think she was crazy.

"Alone or with company?"

"Alone but I could definitely use some company."

Mugi refilled Ritsu's drink and took one for herself. She then walked out of the bar and situated herself right next to Ritsu. They talked until most of the customers were too drunk or too tired for any more drinks. By the time they finished the staff had already begun cleaning up for the night. Ritsu and Mugi shared a few more laughs before realizing that their voices echoed hollowly in the room.

"So, how much do I owe you?" Ritsu asked and gestured to her now empty glass.

"I think this is the part when I tell you I own the bar," Mugi said with a smile. She waved a pair of keys in front of Ritsu.

"Even so, I refuse to accept a free meal. I'll work for it. I'll wash the dishes, clean the tables or-"

"You can come home with me," Mugi interrupted.

Ritsu's mouth twisted in that odd little way when she got nervous.

"Isn't that illegal?"

"Well, we are two consenting adults. Unless, you'd rather not."

"No. I'd like that. I mean, I-I would but..." Ritsu stood up from her chair, closed her eyes and stopped her rambling for a second. It wasn't much of a surprise when Mugi made the first move and kissed her.

"I live two blocks from here," Mugi whispered into Ritsu's ear. Her hands slid down to Ritsu's arms until their fingers entwined. "Come with me."

Ritsu nodded and allowed herself the guidance Mugi offered. She waved off her keys to one of her employees and the two of them stepped out together. The rain settled down quite a bit, but it was still drizzling when they made their way down the street. It took less than five minutes for them to reach Mugi's house, which was anything but an ordinary home.

"This is..."

Mugi's home was a large estate, a two story building with tall, white columns supporting the outer structure. It had been well maintained throughout the years, the old woodwork and layout still held close to its classic roots. Once the door flung open, Mugi pulled her in quickly until they were tangled together again. They kissed their way through the dimly lit hall, the candlelight paving the way through the wooden floor. With the soft lighting around the house it gave off a more intimate yet slightly daunting impression.

The back of Ritsu's knees hit the edge of a sofa and she fell onto it. Mugi pushed her to sit. There wasn't much room for talking when her advances were relentless and thorough. Ritsu couldn't deny she was enjoying it herself, especially when she had a particularly soft spot for girls who were assertive.

They kissed again and again until Mugi reached into Ritsu's shirt and pressed her hands to her breasts. Her hands were ice cold, but Ritsu's body remained warm to the touch. She had a unique ability for retaining her own body heat, more so after her curse was triggered.

"You're burning up," Mugi pointed out, her voice bated and breathy.

"I...I overheat sometimes. It's normal."

Ritsu hoped her little white lie sounded convincing enough. It would be devastating if they had to stop because of a minor abnormality. When Mugi continued, she took that as a cue to follow through although she realized they might have to stop at a certain point. Ritsu slipped her hands along Mugi's hips underneath her dress and searched for her panties. The pad of her thumbs brushed against the fabric, sheer material that barely covered her skin. She did admit the girl had interesting taste in lingerie.

"Touch me," Mugi whispered and guided Ritsu's hand into her. Her clothes were wet from the rain but the moment Ritsu felt her, she knew the distinctive difference between the two.

Fortunately, she was well accustomed to the art of giving pleasure. Although her trysts and lovers weren't consistant, she learned a reasonable amount from the experiences she had. Mugi spread her legs wider, inviting her fingers a little deeper. Ritsu coiled them up and into her, prodding and probing until she came undone in her hand.

Mugi bucked her hips against Ritsu's palm. "You're good at this."

Ritsu released her hand from underneath. She hooked her arms around Mugi's legs and laid her flat on her back. Her fingers were quick to remove Mugi's panties now wet with both her desire and the rain. She could imagine another thing she was especially proficient at.

Mugi gasped, her hips tensing when Ritsu pressed the flat of her tongue against her swollen clitoris. It warmed her cold skin, the effect so intoxicating she held Ritsu's head between her thighs to indulge every wave of ecstasy. She was gentle but not to the point where it felt too subtle. Ritsu applied pressure over and into her body. She had to admit the girl was talented.

Ritsu let out a long breath when Mugi finished. She kissed the inner part of her thigh for good measure and knelt on the sofa. At this point it was becoming much more difficult to guard her personal secrets.

Mugi reached for Ritsu and brought her back down. She slipped her hand low enough to feel Ritsu's pants, something that demanded her full attention.

"I know."

Through the dim lighting Ritsu eyes widened with surprise.

"I'm a clairvoyant. I can see things, read thoughts much like an open book. You were rambling in your head when you were drinking earlier." Mugi traced the faint bulge in Ritsu's jeans. "I know about this."

She'd heard stories about New Orleans' inhabitants aside from those of her kind, people who performed curses and spells, people gifted with the power of magic.

"You're a witch."

"Among other things." Mugi unbuttoned Ritsu's jeans then proceeded with her zipper.

Mugi's revelation didn't reassure Ritsu at all. She was supposed to interact with wolves of her kind, not witches. Being involved with a possible threat would only complicate her situation.

"You know, we don't have to be enemies."

"Why should I trust you?" Ritsu asked, unflinching.

Mugi parted the denim fabric but stayed her fingers only on Ritsu's clothing. "Because I can help you control your curse."

The room went quiet. The werewolf's curse was something Ritsu always wanted to be rid of since the moment she was bitten. Shifting every full moon posed several problems; the torturous pain of shifting, the untamable aggression, the desire to kill that often eclipsed her sanity. There were nights when she'd wake and wonder if she had taken another innocent life.

"How?" Ritsu dared to ask. She wasn't so quick to trust a stranger, more so a witch, but she was curious.

"Magic."

Mugi pressed her palm against Ritsu and a wave of air pushed her down onto the couch. She was strong, Ritsu could tell as much.

"Are you afraid?" Mugi asked.

Ritsu closed her eyes for a moment. Every nerve in her body fired all at once. When she looked up at Mugi her eyes were glowing, brilliant gold that pierced through the darkness of the room.

"No." Ritsu slipped her hand along Mugi's waist. "But you should be."

She sent both of them tumbling to the floor with a prompt thud. Some part of her reveled in the brief moment of control that overpowered Mugi. Although, she could feel a part of herself slipping away because of the werewolf's curse.

"I'm not afraid, Ritsu." Mugi breathed out. "But you are. You're afraid of yourself - of what you've become."

Ritsu looked away. There was a bitter truth in Mugi's words. Her curse had changed her, made her life nearly impossible to live. She moved away to a foreign country so that she wouldn't hurt her friends and family.

"I barely know you. We're strangers who met on a rainy night with nothing but alcohol and spirited conversations between us. But I know what you're going through right now and I can help you. Please, let me help you."

Mugi reached for Ritsu and kissed her softly without all the urgency she had before.

"I'm probably really stupid for saying this but a part of me thinks I can trust you." Ritsu breathed out. "You did feed me dinner after all."

"If I knew that was all it would take I wouldn't have tried as hard to win you over."

They shared a small smile with each other a mutual understanding of sorts. It was odd, certainly. Their predicament was anything but normal. Ritsu had never been with a witch before but she wasn't against taking in new experiences.

"Submit to me."

Ritsu quirked an eyebrow. "I'm not really the type..."

"Yield." Mugi said and pressed her palm to Ritsu's chest. She weighed some magic into her fingertips to keep her down.

"You're not just any witch, are you?" Ritsu asked.

"No. I'm not. You see, Ritsu. I'm not just your average witch. I'm the Regent of New Orleans."

* * *

Ritsu stepped out of the shower and patted down her dampened hair. She wondered why her thoughts brought her back to that fateful encounter with Mugi. Before settling in a foreign land the last she expected was to befriend one of the most powerful witches in the french quarter.

She considered herself lucky.

Mugi did all that she promised and more. The ring she'd gifted her was nothing short of a blessing. She went about her daily routines free of the shackles from her curse. For the first time in a long time she'd felt like she finally got her life back together.

She was grateful for Mugi's generous hospitality. The girl was gentle, kind, and grew only stronger with time. Living in with her was even better than she assumed. Mugi only ever asked for her loyalty and companionship, although by then their friendship evolved to even more intimate relations.

Ritsu let out a sigh of disappointment to herself. She had everything and yet the moment Mugi left she found herself pursuing another girl.

It wasn't that she didn't love Mugi. She did, with all her heart. However, she also loved Mio too. Was it possible to love two women at the same time?

It was selfish of her to want both of them in her life. She recognized as much. So with whatever courage she had, she'd confront them and be honest about her own feelings.

Ritsu walked up to the bed but only found Mio who was still fast asleep. She wondered where Mugi had gone and took a seat by Mio's side. There was no doubt in her mind that she'd face her punishment for protecting a vampire. However, Ritsu didn't care. She reached out and held Mio's hand with hers.

"I love you." Ritsu confided.

Mio's hand squeezed Ritsu's.

"Mio...I-"

The door knob creaked and Mio immediately released Ritsu's hand. As Mugi entered the room she carefully set the silver plate of tea on the center table and took a seat facing both girls.

"Well, now that we're all here shall we begin?"


End file.
